Diary: Peta’s beef with Peppa pork products

This little piggy went to market, and this little piggy stayed at home… while this little piggy, who goes by the name of Peppa, is currently doing the rounds on the touring circuit in her own stage play.

Children up and down the UK have been captivated by Peppa Pig, so Tabard can only imagine how some might react to the fact that the little animal they’ve all grown to love so much is also enjoyed by millions of others – in the form of a bacon sandwich or sausage roll.

Which is why animal rights group Peta has written to the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury to ask the venue not to serve pork in its restaurant while the production is there.

“Many of the young people who cheer for Peppa would be horrified to learn that sausages are made from pigs like her,” said Elisa Allen, director of Peta UK.

Mummy, can I have some pepper on my Peppa?

Tabard wonders what the post-show discussion is like as a family sit down to tuck into their dinner. “Did you enjoy that love?” “Yes, mummy. I love Peppa. She’s so cute.” “I’m so pleased. Because guess what, you’re eating one of her relatives right now.” It could lead to difficult conversations.

Unsurprisingly, the Marlowe Theatre has refused to take pork off its menu. “We can’t get ourselves tied up in knots with different things in our programme and how that might be reflected in the menu,” the theatre said.

Quite. One can only imagine how daft that would get. What next? No beef on the menu for fear of upsetting the cow in the annual panto? Ridiculous.

Similar articles

Tabard is The Stage's resident gossip and diarist. The longest serving member of the editorial team, no one can remember quite how long he's been poking his nose around the stage door or infiltrating parties. Come to think of it, no one can remember the last time he made an appearance in the office. Which begs the question: just who is he?